a blog about Kilt and her kids plus Trouble our JRT mascot.

Friday, April 6, 2012

TMT #12

1. What is
the one thing that you view as your biggest training or handling challenge and
how do you think you can overcome it?

Can't name just ONE. There are a multitude of challenges.

#1) Money I need to win the lottery

#2) Time I wish I could retire

#3) Only go to a handful of USBCHA trials a year. I need to win the lottery and retire

#4) I should work my dogs on different sheep more often. Please see #1 and #2

#5) Lessons would help I need to move. It ain't gonna happen. I have to make do with what I have. It's okay. I still have lots of fun.

2. Name
ONE run (agility, herding, etc) from someone else that inspired you and
why?

Pat White's agility run with her Golden Retriever, Rae, at the AKC finals really inspired me to want to get back into agility. I know sheepdog people talk about comraderie, but I miss the comraderie in agility. Maybe, because my husband did agility with me. He doesn't have much of an interest in sheepdogging. So, I'm usually on the road to trials by myself.

3. Name some
examples of how your dogs have manipulated you.

They constantly get me to give them at least a tidbit of what I am eating. I tell them, "No begging," and the next thing I know I giving them bites of my food! They are the biggest beggars and moochers around. They all know how to get me to laugh. As soon as I laugh, they know they have me eating out of their paws or visa versa...

4. Steffi is looking for
dog treat
recipes! - I'm tired of hearing about all these dog food/treat recalls so we've
started making a lot of our own dog treats. I really need a recipe for low
calorie, light colored treats that my dogs can see easily in the grass when we
are training distance skills. I've been using popcorn for that but am looking
for some variety!

5. One thing -
not related to dogs - that you would like to do that you have not
done I have always liked to drive fast cars, ski, gallop horses, and watch my fast dogs on their outruns.Hence; I'd like to fly on a fighter jet, ie. F22...mach 2 plus.....oh yeah. I have always loved to fly. And, I have always had a great fascination with speed. :0)

No truer words.....

Me and Baxter Black

In deepest sympathy...

Me and Johnny McNally

Best Friends

Derek Fisher and Yoko

Yoko

Yo's sis, Flo

With GOOD friends...

Ewe'll never walk alone

May I offer you

a triple grande nonfat dog biscuit?

Sedona Hot Dogs

Yoko

May I get into the car?

Time to go to work

Snow dog

Kilt napping on Xena

Walk-Up Border Collies

I came up with the name "Walk-Up" because I live on a small mountain and it's a bit of a "walk-up" to get to our home. We live on 35acres backed by the Olympic hills to the south and the strait of JuanDe Fuca to the north.

Border Collies entered our lives 16 yrs. ago when I received Riorun Jet from Patrick Shannahan. Jet is my soul mate, a talented trick dog, master agility dog, and open sheepdog. He is intense when he is working and mellow when he is not. Jet has placed in USBCHA open competition only working sheep a couple of times a week. It can be done. Kilt came to us from Diana Gauthier (Keen-Eye stockdogs) in Canada. Kilt is a ton of fun and is all business about working livestock. She has placed in open competition and is getting better about teaming up with me. We won our first open class (2011) with a marked shed, pen, single this year. We have bred only one litter by Jet. I kept a pup, Walk-Up Yoko. She is extremely talented in agility and can hold her own on sheep, too. She qualified for the National Nursery finals and has placed well in pro-novice along with winning several open classes in her later years.

I now have Kilt's son by Applegate's Buzz. He is a nice working dog, too. He qualified for the Nursery Finals and has several open wins. I firmly believe one must keep an open mind in the training of dogs. I don't think there is any fool-proof method that works with all dogs.

Party on Garth

Who's drivng home?

About Me

I was a critical care RN MSN at Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital and an adjunct clinical teacher for a local community college. I am retired now.
I'm always on the go....I'm afraid I might miss something. I have a deep love of animals, teaching, hiking, competition, photography, and traveling. I love laughing with good friends. I have the mindset that every day you get up is a good day worthy of celebrating. Don't sweat the small stuff :0)
"Live as if you were to die tomorrow, learn as if you were to live forever." Gandhi
And, last but not least....
"This is for all the strong ladies, who have made it through so much in life: I'm compassionate because I have known suffering. I am wise because I've been foolish. I can laugh, because I have known sadness. I am alive, because I am a fighter. I will survive because I am strong."